1984 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1984 perform at MOT as they age

42 years

Current Age

80.3%

Latest Pass Rate

1,340

Total Tests (All Years)

92,660 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1984 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

25 yrs54.1%

→ ↑1.8%

26 yrs55.9%

→ ↓1.7%

27 yrs54.2%

→ ↑1.8%

28 yrs56.0%

→ ↓5.4%

29 yrs50.6%

→ ↑12.2%

30 yrs62.8%

→ ↑3.4%

31 yrs66.2%

→ ↓5.9%

32 yrs60.3%

→ ↑7.0%

33 yrs67.3%

→ ↑6.3%

34 yrs73.6%

→ ↑15.9%

35 yrs89.5%

→ ↓28.6%

36 yrs60.9%

→ ↑9.1%

37 yrs70.0%

→ ↑2.4%

38 yrs72.4%

→ ↓4.5%

39 yrs67.9%

→ ↑12.4%

40 yrs80.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
25 yrs	54.1%	170
26 yrs	55.9%	143
27 yrs	54.2%	107
28 yrs	56.0%	91
29 yrs	50.6%	79
30 yrs	62.8%	78
31 yrs	66.2%	65
32 yrs	60.3%	68
33 yrs	67.3%	55
34 yrs	73.6%	53
35 yrs	89.5%	57
36 yrs	60.9%	46
37 yrs	70.0%	60
38 yrs	72.4%	58
39 yrs	67.9%	53
40 yrs	80.3%	157

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1984 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (40 yrs)	80.3%	157
2023 (39 yrs)	67.9%	53
2022 (38 yrs)	72.4%	58
2021 (37 yrs)	70%	60
2020 (36 yrs)	60.9%	46
2019 (35 yrs)	89.5%	57
2018 (34 yrs)	73.6%	53
2017 (33 yrs)	67.3%	55
2016 (32 yrs)	60.3%	68
2015 (31 yrs)	66.2%	65
2014 (30 yrs)	62.8%	78
2013 (29 yrs)	50.6%	79
2012 (28 yrs)	56%	91
2011 (27 yrs)	54.2%	107
2010 (26 yrs)	55.9%	143
2009 (25 yrs)	54.1%	170

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

54.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 170Avg Mileage 92,907Top Failure Suspension — 29.4%

2010High Fail Rate

55.9%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 143Avg Mileage 95,933Top Failure Suspension — 35.0%

2011High Fail Rate

54.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 107Avg Mileage 96,322Top Failure Suspension — 31.8%

2012High Fail Rate

56.0%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 91Avg Mileage 93,644Top Failure Brakes — 25.3%

2013High Fail Rate

50.6%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 79Avg Mileage 109,792Top Failure Suspension — 102.5%

2014High Fail Rate

62.8%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 78Avg Mileage 105,982Top Failure Suspension — 85.9%

2015

66.2%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 65Avg Mileage 93,166Top Failure Suspension — 83.1%

2016High Fail Rate

60.3%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 68Avg Mileage 94,135Top Failure Suspension — 55.9%

2017

67.3%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 55Avg Mileage 99,884Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.1%

2018

73.6%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 53Avg Mileage 98,544Top Failure Suspension — 41.5%

2019

89.5%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 57Avg Mileage 98,689Top Failure Suspension — 21.1%

2020High Fail Rate

60.9%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 46Avg Mileage 102,683Top Failure Brakes — 45.7%

2021

70.0%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 60Avg Mileage 99,757Top Failure Brakes — 58.3%

2022

72.4%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 58Avg Mileage 92,177Top Failure Brakes — 46.6%

2023

67.9%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 53Avg Mileage 95,626Top Failure Brakes — 56.6%

2024

80.3%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 157Avg Mileage 92,660Top Failure Suspension — 36.9%

MOT results for 1984 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	25	54.1%	170	92,907	Suspension — 29.4%
2010	26	55.9%	143	95,933	Suspension — 35.0%
2011	27	54.2%	107	96,322	Suspension — 31.8%
2012	28	56.0%	91	93,644	Brakes — 25.3%
2013	29	50.6%	79	109,792	Suspension — 102.5%
2014	30	62.8%	78	105,982	Suspension — 85.9%
2015	31	66.2%	65	93,166	Suspension — 83.1%
2016	32	60.3%	68	94,135	Suspension — 55.9%
2017	33	67.3%	55	99,884	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 69.1%
2018	34	73.6%	53	98,544	Suspension — 41.5%
2019	35	89.5%	57	98,689	Suspension — 21.1%
2020	36	60.9%	46	102,683	Brakes — 45.7%
2021	37	70.0%	60	99,757	Brakes — 58.3%
2022	38	72.4%	58	92,177	Brakes — 46.6%
2023	39	67.9%	53	95,626	Brakes — 56.6%
2024	40	80.3%	157	92,660	Suspension — 36.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1984 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Suspension

44.7%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

37.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

34.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

21.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Seat Belts and Supplementary Restraint Systems

20.2%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	21.2% (25 yrs)	9.6% (40 yrs)	-11.6%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	29.4% (25 yrs)	36.9% (40 yrs)	+7.5%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 3 Series page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 3 Series cars manufactured in 1984 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,340 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.